ATLANTA — Following Atlanta United’s 2-1 victory over Minnesota United in the U.S. Open Cup final, star forward Josef Martínez issued a warning to Major League Soccer.
After winning the MLS Cup in December and tying MLS’ previous regular-season points record (only to be bested by the New York Red Bulls for the Supporters’ Shield), Atlanta started slow in 2019. The Five Stripes struggled to adjust to a new manager in Frank de Boer and a new No. 10 in Gonzalo “Pity” Martínez. There was grumbling from fans and players over the results and the on-field product.
Now, Atlanta has won two trophies in two weeks, and sits first in MLS’ Eastern Conference. The Five Stripes have won nine of 10 games across all competitions and defeated Mexican giant Club América in the Campeones Cup earlier this month. The reigning champions are rounding into form.
“All changes are difficult, but who won today?” Martínez asked rhetorically, through an interpreter Tuesday night. “Who’s in first place due to tiebreaker? You can never underestimate the champion. Never.”
Barring a stunning and historic collapse from Los Angeles Football Club, Atlanta will not win the Supporters’ Shield in 2019. LAFC is on 62 points, and Atlanta is second in MLS on 48. But, a playoff tournament determines this league’s champion, and the Five Stripes have no reason to doubt their big-game credentials.
“We had a bad start, but we’re in first place,” Martínez told reporters Tuesday, smelling of champagne with Bud Light in hand. “I think we’re in the more difficult conference, because in the other with 70 points, [LAFC] already qualified [for the playoffs] and the other teams have 20.”
Martínez may have undersold LAFC’s conference competitors — second-place Real Salt Lake has 43 points — but he doubts the Western Conference’s quality and believes the Black-and-Gold could be left vulnerable by a lack of adversity come playoff time. The fires of a difficult regular season may forge his team as the title winner again.
“This is the tough conference,” the Venezuela international said. “We try to be in the playoffs. Later, you have to play the games, and we will try to win.”